Why textile channels are worth considering

It's a clear credo. Everything that comes into contact with food products, either directly or indirectly, must meet strict hygiene requirements. This also applies to an omnipresent yet mostly invisible element: the air. Besides contaminants, important points of concern include drafts, temperature fluctuations and condensation. And the choice of air ducts can have an important influence on this.

Essentially, there is a choice for air ducts between three major material groups: plastic, textile or metal. Although the latter group in particular has traditionally been strongly represented, with galva and aluminum leading the way, the food industry would benefit from considering textile ducts a bit more often. Wesley Verlez of Prihoda, part of the Linum Group from Kuurne, explains why.

Hygiene

Let's start at the beginning: the hygienic aspect. The fact that Prihoda's ducts are made of hygienic and 100% washable textiles is an obvious advantage in this area, but Verlez says it by no means stops there. "Fabrics with antibacterial properties are also available. They are coated along the inside with a nanolayer of silver that prevents bacterial growth, thus guaranteeing that no bacteria are ever blown onto the food products. Certificates are available showing that even after ten washings, 0% bacterial growth still occurs. Incidentally, it is no coincidence that the first applications of textile channels were in the food sector. For example, unlike metal, textile is perfectly suited for humid environments and is completely condensation-free, regardless of whether hot or cold air flows through the ducts. This means that there is no risk of condensation droplets falling down the channels and into the food products." In addition, the use of textile channels results in uniform airflow without drafts or temperature fluctuations. In sensitive production environments such as those in the food industry, this is also a concern.

Comfort

Not only food products can be sensitive to drafts and temperature changes. This is equally true for people. Especially when they are stationary or sitting in the same place for long periods of time. "There is a reason why the rules on indoor air in the workplace are laid down in a Royal Decree. Not only health, but also people's general well-being and consequently productivity are affected." In addition to general indoor air quality and homogeneous airflow, Verlez points to acoustics in this regard. "In principle, an NR or Noise Rating of 35 is considered acceptable. If you want to achieve that standard with bile ducts, for example, they generally have to be dimensioned fairly large. With textile ducts, the situation is different. They provide a better absorption of the noise from the air currents, which makes an NR of 30 realistic even with small diameters."

Cost

Smaller channels, which in turn means smaller investments. "Textile ducts come out a clear winner in that respect. After all, they are light, compact and fully customized and ready for installation. That means lower transport costs, smoother installation and less stringent construction requirements in terms of suspension and stability, for example." The fact that less flow rate is also required in cooling up to 50% potentially results in another significant reduction in air handling operational costs.

Sustainability

Prihoda's textile ducts are manufactured as standard on a polyester basis and, depending on the application, equipped with or without a membrane. When the ducts are used for both cooling and heating, it is the latter that controls the function. With REPREVE, however, Prihoda also offers textile ducts based on 100% recycled material. Specifically, 1 m² of REPREVE fabric is produced from thirteen empty PET bottles. "We substantiate this sustainable origin with the necessary EPD certificates. Thus, the choice of Prihoda REPREVE can even earn an extra credit in the BREEAM category Mat 03 - Responsible sourcing of materials, and thus contribute to a higher BREEAM score."